Private schools to scrap their own exams
PRIVATE schools are to overhaul their exams in case they lose ground to state schools in the race for university places.
This summer, students at fee-paying schools were awarded just 7 per cent of grade 9s, the new top mark, which is far harder to achieve than an A*.
Most leading private schools are still taking the IGCSE, which uses the old grading system of A* to G. It has long been favoured because of its similarity in style and rigour to the previous Olevel qualifications. However, the independent sector is now preparing to turn its back on the qualification, which does not offer the same potential to identify the brightest candidates.
Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), said that the “forces in favour of the IGCSE” had now been “weakened”.
“Up to now, the IGCSE has been regarded as better preparation for Alevels, because syllabuses were more demanding,” he said. “This year our schools have seen that the reformed GCSES have come in line with IGCSE in several respects.” Sally Collier, head of the exam regulator Ofqual, said that universities had complained previously about the number of applicants with straight As and A*s, suggesting the new grade 9 will sift out the brightest candidates.
Helen Pike, master of Magdalen College School, Oxford, which is ranked seventh in the country in the ISC league tables published today, said that
university candidates with a higher number of 9s would create a new “premier league”, as they have an advantage over those with A*s. “The candidates who got 9s or lots of 9s, will look better than the candidates who don’t.” she said.
Kathryn Gorman, deputy headmistress at St Albans School, said it had switched to the reformed English Literature GCSE last year, saying it “offered us something better, frankly”. She said the school would also swap to the new English Language GCSE in September.
Exam boards that offer the IGCSE are phasing in a numerical grading system, after pressure from private schools. It comes amid a growing scandal over cheating at private schools. An investigation has been ordered as ministers called for a review into whether teachers should continue to set exam questions in subjects they teach.
The scandal began last week when it emerged that teachers at Eton and Winchester, both of whom were CIE examiners, had passed information to pupils about upcoming exams. Neil Sheldon, the chief examiner of a leading exam board, said private school teachers may be overrepresented in examining because they are “encouraged” by their schools to get involved.
Chris Mcgovern, a former government adviser and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said it was “grossly unfair on children from poor areas”. He said: “How many examiners are there from inner-city schools in Birmingham or Sunderland?” Private schools are under pressure to justify their fees as state schools rapidly improve following huge investment and reforms introduced by Michael Gove, the former education secretary.